NLIS 1
May 13, 2005
(Health and Community Services)
 

Moving Forward: Governments of Canada and Newfoundland and
Labrador sign Agreement on Early Learning and Child Care

Prime Minister Paul Martin and Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Danny Williams, along with Social Development Minister Ken Dryden and Newfoundland and Labrador�s acting Minister of Health and Community Services Loyola Sullivan announced today an historic agreement-in-principle that further supports the development of quality early learning and child care (ELCC) for young children and their families in Newfoundland and Labrador.

"The best way to make sure our youngest citizens can develop and flourish to their full potential is by investing in quality early learning and child care. This agreement-in-principle between Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador moves our country significantly closer to fulfilling a shared vision for early learning and child care," said Prime Minister Paul Martin. "Decades ago, it was a series of such agreements that led to the creation of Medicare in Canada - a program that now helps to define us as Canadians."

This announcement follows the Government of Canada�s February 2005 budget commitment to invest $5 billion over five years to enhance and expand high-quality developmental early learning and child care in collaboration with provinces and territories.

As announced in previous federal-provincial-territorial meetings on ELCC, this initiative will be guided by the QUAD principles: quality, universal inclusiveness, accessibility, and development.

"Making sure that our youngest citizens get the best start in life is one of the most important priorities for parents and families in our province," said Premier Williams. "This agreement signed today will help Newfoundland and Labrador achieve its long-term vision to ensure children and families have access to a quality early learning and child care system and that early child care educators and providers receive the training and supports they need."

"We are working to develop an ambitious, high-quality, developmental-based system of early learning and child care in every province and territory in this country," said Minister Dryden. "We have already signed agreements-in-principle with three other provinces, and over the coming weeks, I hope that we will conclude more agreements with other provincial and territorial governments. This agreement-in-principle expands the continuum of supports for children, families and communities in Newfoundland and Labrador."

Over the next five years, with this federal support, Newfoundland and Labrador will continue to develop its early learning and child care system. Emphasis will be placed on increasing options for children and families by creating early learning and child care services that focus on quality, affordability and accessibility.

Newfoundland and Labrador will meet these goals by making investments in regulated early learning and child care programs and services for children under age six.

"Our government has made significant progress in building capacity, ensuring children and families have access to quality programming and improving the quality of early learning and child care in Newfoundland and Labrador," said Minister Sullivan. " We are committed to building a progressive early learning and child care program to complement the work of our Ministerial Council on Early Childhood Learning that focuses on the learning needs of children and their families. As we move forward, we will continue to consult with parents and early learning and childcare stakeholders to assist in developing the action plan for Newfoundland and Labrador."

Newfoundland and Labrador will release a preliminary action plan on early learning and child care by December 2005. Following completion of the action plan, Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador will work together to conclude a detailed multi-year funding agreement by February 2006.

The agreement-in-principle sets out a long-term vision, principles, and goals to guide the development of regulated early learning and child care for children under six. It also outlines specific objectives that the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador will pursue over the next five years and how that government will be accountable to residents of Newfoundland and Labrador. Also, the governments of Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador will work with other provinces and territories to develop knowledge and information that will contribute to more effective early learning and child care programming. As part of this agreement-in-principle, the Government of Canada will work with Newfoundland and Labrador and other interested provincial and territorial governments to develop a National Quality Framework that will guide the development of early learning and child care programming across Canada.

Newfoundland and Labrador will continue to report publicly on early learning and child care, so that Newfoundlanders and Labradorians can track progress.

The Government of Canada recently signed similar Early Learning and Child Care Agreements-in-Principle with Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Ontario and expects to put similar agreements in place with the remaining provinces and territories over the coming weeks.

Media contact:
  Elizabeth Matthews, Office of the Premier, (709) 729-3960, 690-5500, elizabethmatthews@gov.nl.ca
  Carolyn Chaplin, Health and Community Services, (709) 729-1377, 682-5093

2005 05 13                    10:00 a.m.